This invention relates to a pointed nose unit for a penetrator projectile.
In penetrator projectiles with discarding sabots, such as are described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,899,978, the sabot is provided with an air dam which surrounds it in the vicinity of the front of the penetrator and serves to initiate detachment of the sabot segments though incident air flow after it has left the barrel of a weapon. The detachment of the sabot segments from the penetrator body during firing has been found to frequently take place unevenly. This can impart oscillations to the projectile. The oscillations may reduce not only the aiming accuracy but also the penetrative power which is particularly relevant when used against modern targets which require penetrators of considerable length which must be substantially free of any tendency to oscillate.
Experiments carried out on the behavior of penetrators and sabot systems have shown that in the zone around the front part of the projectile unstable air flow conditions may occur which prevent the sabot from seaprating evenly.
An object of this invention is to provide a pointed nose unit for a penetrator projectile.
According to the present invention a penetrator projectile is provided with a pointed nose having a high ratio of length to diameter and constructed to be at least transitionally variable in shape to improve the separation of discardable sabot segments after emerging from the barrel of a weapon.